Science Lesson

Today I taught my first full lesson from start to finish. It was a science lesson from a FOSS investigation kit, so that was exciting. The lesson involved how water moves through different earth substances (gravel and soil) and what implications that has for groundwater, plants and animals. This is a copy of my basic procedure:

Activity:

- Show the students the two earth materials that they have to work with, gravel and soil.

- Have students observe the different earth materials with their magnifying glasses.

- Ask the students what they think will happen if they added water to the soil. What would happen if they added water to the gravel? Will the water absorb?

- Have one student put a filter in each of their two plastic cups with holes.

- Have another student pour dry soil into one of the filter paper cups and gravel into the other.

- Have the students compare the weights of the two substances in the cups by putting them on a balance and seeing which one is heavier/denser.

- Have students place each of the smaller cups with holes into the larger cups.

- Use the syringe to squirt 50 ml of water in each soil sample.

- Students should observe for about 5 minutes what happens as the water filters through the two soil samples.

- After 5 minutes have students take their small plastic cups out of the large plastic cups and weigh them again on the scale. Which is heavier now? Why is that so?

Materials Per Group of 4 Students:

2 Large plastic cups

2 Filters

2 Small plastic cups with holes

2 Plastic cups

1 FOSS balance

1 Syringe (50ml)

2 Hand lenses

Water

Paper towels

Trays

Soil

Gravel

Overall, the lesson went very well and the students responded positively. One suggestion that my cooperating teacher (CT) gave me before I started was that I should designate a color to the four students in each group and call out instructions for people of each color. For example, “blue students, get the trays” or “yellow students set up the small cup with the soil”, etc. This turned out to be a great suggestion because it gave every student an equal opportunity to participate within their group.

Because this was such an interactive lesson and it involved lots of students working together, classroom management was a concern of mine. I had one student (who we’ve nicknamed “no bones” because he flops around like jello) with a syringe in his hand flailing around and almost poking other student’s eyes out. I had another group with two students who knocked their balance over with both cups in it, spilling their gravel and soil all over the table. I had one student trying to put the gravel in his mouth and another group fighting over whose desk the materials should all be on. Thankfully, I’ve been working with my CT on learning management skills and by silently moving around and dealing with situations; I was able to keep the lesson going without disrupting their learning.

I was so nervous for my first day of a full lesson that I almost threw up this morning. Now that it’s over and I have some things that I can work on, I’m more confident than ever that I can do this and be a leader in the classroom. Thank goodness for small confidence boosters.